General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[tomh009]

Step 1 is, stop digging: eliminate all parking minima, allow apartment buildings up to 4 stories in all residential zones, and allow office and residential above all retail units. Then see how much of a problem there still is.

This would be a very good start. The problem is that redoing all the zoning (required for the above) would be highly contentious and time-consuming effort for every city.

What I think could work is provincial (note, Federal cannot work as municipalities are figments of the provincial imagination) legislation to allow construction of low-rise multi-residential in any location permitting residential use (maybe allow granny flats everywhere while they are at this). And disallowing use of parking minima and to allow residential on the upper floors of any building that has commercial zoning.

There would likely still be a hue and cry, but Ford has a majority, and the next election is far away, so he could get away with it.